Relay structure



Feb. 21, 1956 E. A. BOGUE ET AL 2,735,968

RELAY STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l i I &\\\ T Ffiil1956 E. A. BOGUE ET AL 2 735 RELAY STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.19, 1952 nitcd States Paten 1 re RELAY STRUCTURE Edward A. Bogue, SouthBend, Ind., and Charles W. Musser, Niles, Mich., assignors to ETC, Inc.,Niles, Mich, a corporation of Illinois Application February 19, 1952,Serial No. 272,334

4 Claims. (Cl. 317-198) Our invention relates to relay structures, andmore particularly to the structures and arrangements of the mechanicaland movable parts, assemblies and combinations utilized in electricalrelays and the like.

An object of our invention is to provide a hinge type armature structureand a support therefor adapted to use on relays and. the like, and whichis designed for ease of manufacture and assembly in production, as wellas for flexibility in its manner of use or adaptation for contactactuation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spring biasingstructure for a movable relay armature which varies the resistance tomovement of the armature by an amount greater than the mere change ofspring tension, as the armature moves toward and away from an associatedelectromagnet.

As another object our invention provides an armature structure andarrangement of parts adapted to use with a plurality of electricalrelays in an interlocking relationship such that when one relay isoperated another cannot be operated.

Our invention has for a further object the provision of a lost-motionconnection in an electrical relay which compensates for wear of thecontacts and parts and eliminates the necessity for close adjustmentsinitiating and maintaining good operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the two sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts broken and showing one form of anelectromagnet and armature structure adapted to use in a relay of ourinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure depicted in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the electromagnetand armature structure of Fig. 1, with parts in section substantially asindicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and accompanying arrows;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views generally similar to Fig. 4, but with movableparts of the structure in difierent positions than that indicated inFig. 4

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of an assembly which illustrates theadaptation of the electromagnet and armature structure of Figs. l to 6to interlocking relays that are selectively operable, one at a time;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on a line8-8 of Fig. 7, and in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on a line 9-9of Fig. 8, and in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of portions of the assemblyillustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

2,735,968 Fatented Feb. 21, 1956 In the form of the invention depictedfor illustrative purposes in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, an electromagnet 19includes a magnetizable core 20, which may be of soft iron, which corehas a coil 21 wound thereon, and to which electrical connections aremade through leads 22 and 23. The core 20 of the disclosed structure hasenlarged ends 24 and 25 which retain discs of insulating material 26 and27 for supporting and protecting the ends of the coil 21. The coil, asillustrated, has a suitable covering 28 of insulating material. A framemember 29 of magnetizable material is substantially L- shaped and hasone leg 30 secured by a screw 31 to the enlarged end 25 of the core 20so as to serve as a part of the magnetic path for the coil and as anarmature support. The other leg 32 extends along the coil 21 and core 20and has flanges 33 at opposite sides of its free end extending towardthe end 24 of the core 20. Lugs 34 at diagonally opposed corners of theleg 30 of the frame member 29 have openings 35 destined to receiveattaching means, such as screws or bolts, for securing the assembly to asuitable mounting in the manner illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.

The leg 32 of the frame member 29 carries a movable armature 36 having abody portion 37 which is attracted toward the end 24 of the core 20 whenthe coil 21 is energized by current applied through the leads 22 and 23.When fully attracted, there is contact between the core end 24 and aheaded contact insert 38 lodged in an opening in the body portion 37, asdepicted in Fig. 6. The movable armature 36 is made of a suitablemagnetizable metal, such as soft iron so that it and the frame form amagnetic path between the ends of the core 20 externally of the coil.The contact insert 38 need not be made of a magnetic metal, but shouldbe capable of taking the wear of repeated contact with the core end 24.Edge regions 39 on opposite sides of the body portion 37 engage extendedportions at opposite sides of the frame leg 32 which face generallytoward the core 20 and are directly adjacent the flanges 33 on thesupport leg. Arms 40 extend angularly from regions of the body portion37 which are inward of the edge regions 39 and are disposed to engagethe face of the frame leg 32 away from the core 20. The ends of the arms40 are widened as indicated at 41. The movable armature 36 also has anarrow extension 42 which lies in the general plane of the body portion37 and is located between the arms 40. The narrow extension, in the formshown, is narrower toward its outer end and is bent to form an upturnedflange 43 having an inclined or beveled edge 44 adapted to serve foractuating contacts, as by engagement with a contact spring, or may beutilized for other purposes, such as to serve a locking function asshown in and described in respect to Figs. 7 and 8.

One arm 40 is engaged by a spring 45 secured, as by rivets 46, to theface of the frame leg 32 away from the core 29. The spring 45 is curvedat its extending end, as indicated at 42, to present a convex surfacewhich engages the one arm 40. The effect of the convex spring surface isto shift the position of contact of the spring with the arm outwardlyalong the length of the arm and away from the edge regions 39, as thebody portion 37 of the movable armature 36 swings toward the core end24, as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. When, as shown in Fig. 4, thebody portion 37 of the armature is at its maximum distance from the coreend 24, as determined by contact of the body portion with the flanges 33on the frame leg 32 or by contact of the arms 40 on the movable armature36 with the frame leg, or both, the spring 45 engages the arm 40relatively near the fulcrums of the movable armature 36 on the frameleg, which is about where the edge region 37 (Fig. 1) contacts the frameleg or where portions 48 of the arms 40 contact an edge 49 of the frameleg (Fig. 4). As the body portions 37 moves to the core end 24, asillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the spring 47 contacts a region of the armfarther away from the fulcrum'and closer to the securing means 46 forthe spring. Thus, when, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the distance betweenthe body portion 37 and the core end is a maximum, and the attractingforce between them, varying inversely as the square of the saiddistance, is a minimum, the resistance to movement of the body portionto the core end afforded by the spring is at a minimum, because thedistance from the fulcrum of the movable element 36 to the contact ofthe spring 47 with the arm 40 is a minimum, and the distance from thiscontact to the spring securing means 36 is a maximum. As the bodyportion 37 approaches the core end 24, as depicted in Figs. 5 and 6, theattracting force increases, and the spring resistance to this forceincreases with increase of distance from the fulcrum of the movablearmature to the spring contact and decrease of distance from the springcontact to the spring-securing means 46.

When current to the coil 21 is interrupted so that core 21') no longerattracts the body portion 37 of the movable armature 36, the latterreturns to the position of Fig. 4 under the action of the spring 45.

The flanges 33 on the frame leg 32 and the arms 46 on the movablearmature 36 cooperates with the movable armature and the frame leg toform an advantageous supporting hinge connection for the movablearmature on the frame leg, which supporting hinge connection is simplein construction and cheap and easy to manufacture, and yet is veryreliable and durable in operation. The spring helps to maintain thehinge connection of the movable armature 36 with the support leg. Thecore end 24 forms a stop for limiting the amount of hinging movement ofthe armature on the support leg in one direction, and thus serves tomaintain the hinge connection when the armature moves against the forceof the spring. In the disclosed relay structure, as may be readilyobserved, the structure may be arranged so that the spring 45 engageseither of the arms 40, and the movements of the other arm may, ifdesired, be utilized for the operation of contacts or the like.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10, two relaysare employed in interlocking relation, both of which relays have basicstructure quite like that shown and described in respect to Figs. 1 to6, inclusive. For each relay here the corresponding parts in the variousfigures are designated by like reference numerals. In each device inFigs. 7 to 10, a movable armature has a body portion 51 which isattractable by and toward the core 20 and which, as in the describedrelay, is restricted from movement away from the core 20 by the flanges33 on the frame leg 32. Arms 52 on the movable armature 50 extendangularly from the body portion 51 and are engageable with the face ofthe frame leg 32 away from the core 20. Each arm 52 has an enlarged end53. Portions 54 of the flanges are engageable with the edge 49 of theframe leg 32. Edge regions 55 on the body portion 51 are engageable withthe face of the frame leg 32 which faces toward the core 20 directlyadjacent the flanges 33. The movable armature 50 may be made of asuitable magnetizable material, such as soft iron.

A pin 56 is secured to, and projects upwardly from, the body portion 51and has an enlarged end 57 which is engageable with the core end 24. Acoil spring 58 surrounds the pin 56 and acts between a washer 58aretained by an enlarged end 59 on the pin 56 and a plate 69 ofinsulating material, yieldingly to bias the insulating plate toward aposition of engagement with the side of the body portion 51 of themovable armature 50 away from the core end 24. The insulating plate 60is guided and located relative to the body portion of the armature bythe pin 56 and by studs which, in the present instance, comprise headedmembers 61 secured to and projecting through the body portion 51 atspaced side positions and loosely received in opening 62 in theinsulating plate 60. The insulating plate 60 is normally held inengagement with protuberances 62a adjacent the headed members 61 and onthe face of the body portion 51 away from the core 20, whichprotuberances serve as bearings for movements of the insulating platerelative to the armature. The insulating plate projects'beyond the endof the body portion 51 of the armature and carries contacts 63 and 64which, as shown, are provided with connector lugs 65 and 66 to whichsuitable connecting leads may be attached. Each movable armature 50 hasa narrow extension 67 which lies generally in the plane of the bodyportion 51 and is located between the arms 52. In the structuredisclosed, the end of the extension 67 is somewhat narrower than therest and has an upturned end portion 68. V

In the dual relay combination illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, two relaysof generally similar construction are mounted in back-to-backrelationship with one relay olfset laterally from the other and withparts aligned and arranged so that when either relay is operated, theother is locked to prevent its operation. In the structural combinationdisclosed, a spring 69 on each relay is secured to the face of the frameleg 32 away from the core by suitable means, such as the rivets 70, andengages one of the arms 52, yieldingly to resist movement of thearmature body portion 51 toward the core end 24 when the core ismagnetized, and to move the armature body portion away from the corewhen the core is demagnetized. The spring 69 associated with one relaydevice has an opening 71 which is positioned to receive the end 68 onthe narrow extension 67 on the movable armature 50 of the other relaywhen the movable element 50 of the one relay is moved toward the end 24of its core, thereby to shift the spring 69 of said other relay from itsnormal position. Thus, as depicted in Fig. 8, the relay at the right hasits movable armature 50 moved to the core end 24, and the spring 69 isshifted to overlie the end 68 on the narrow extension 67 of the movablearmature 50 of the relay at the left. In the illustrative position ofFig. 8, the movable armature 50 of the left-hand device cannot be movedtoward its associated core end 24 and so the contacts 63 and 64 of theleft-hand relay cannot engage stationary contacts 72. However, contacts63 and 64 of the righthand relays are engaged with the associatedstationary contacts 72. The result is that when the right-hand relay isactuated so as to close a circuit or circuits through its contacts 63,64 and 72, circuits through the contacts of the other relay cannot beclosed. Conversely, the relays being similarly constructed and arranged,a situation which is the reverse of that shown in Fig. 8 may also existwherein the operated and locked relays are transposed.

The spring 58 and the loosely received pin 56 and headed members 61provide a lost-motion connection between the movable armature 50 and theinsulating plate 60, which connection compensates for variations ofposition and wear of the contact elements 63, 64 and 72.

The relays, as depicted in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, are secured to a base plate73 by suitable attaching means, such as screws 74, which pass throughthat base plate and are threaded into the lugs 34 on the frame members29. The base 73 has at its opposite ends flanges 75 to which insulatingpanels 76 are secured. The panels form mountings for connectors 77 and78 to which the coil loads 22 and 23 are attached and for connectors 79and St) to which connections are made through brackets 81 to thecontacts 72 which are carried by those brackets.

While we have illustrated apreferred embodiment of our invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of all changeswithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An assembly comprising a magnetizable core, a substantially L-shapedframe of magnetizable material having one leg secured to one end of thecore and another leg extending along the core in spaced relationshipthereto so that the core and other leg have adjacent free ends, anarmature having a body portion and an integral leg extending in angularrelationship to one another from a vertex, means providing a hingeconnection between the said free end of the core leg and the vertex ofthe armature with the said hinge connection, the latter mentioned coreleg and the body and leg portions of the armature so related that thebody portion of the armature is swingable toward and from the free endof the core and the armature leg is swingable angularly toward and fromsaid other leg of the frame, and an elongated leaf spring having one endsecured to the frame and its other end extending in the generaldirection of the core into overlapping relationship With the leg of thearmature, said leaf spring being longitudinally shaped so as normally toengage the armature leg only at a position near the said hingeconnection between the armature and frame, and the shape of the springbeing such that the position of engagement between the armature leg andspring moves toward the end of the armature leg as the armature legswings away from the leg of the frame.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1, and wherein said leaf spring has aconvexly curved end portion normally engaging said armature leg.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 1, and wherein said leaf spring has acurved portion near the end which is secured to the frame and extendsangularly toward the surface of the armature leg which faces away fromthe frame when the armature is in its normal position of rest.

4. An assembly as defined in claim 1, and wherein said armature leg andsaid leaf spring are so relatively disposed that the end of the armatureengages the mid-portion of the spring when the armature body is towardthe free end of the core,

Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,092,283 MorseApr. 7, 1914 1,169,273 Mason Jan. 25, 1916 2,353,377 Vaughn July 11,1944 2,374,017 Iglehart et al Apr. 17, 1945 2,438,745 Fox Mar. 30, 19482,549,976 Weinreich Feb. 6, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 593,094 Great BritainOct. 8, 1947 627,958 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1949

